| James Kon |
THIRTY Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) officers including army personnel from foreign countries yesterday officially completed the 7th Royal Brunei Armed Forces Command and Staff Course (RBAF CSC 7) and received certificates in a graduation ceremony held at the RBAF Defence Academy.
The RBAF CSC 7 was a 40-week course delivered in partnership with New Zealand’s Massey University which aims to broaden the professional and academic knowledge, and develop the command, analytical, communication skills of RBAF’s mid-level officers, as well as prepare them for higher appointments.
Present as guest of honour at the ceremony was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Captain (Rtd) Dato Paduka Abdul Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar.
In his speech, the permanent secretary congratulated the participants of the course.
“I very much hope that this course has been of great value towards developing your leadership abilities as well as in providing further appreciation of the dual importance of strategic and operational understanding of the security environment,” he said.
The nature of the current security environment, the permanent secretary added, “demands leaders to possess an analytical mind capable of grasping today’s complexities, as well as familiarity with current international affairs and latest developments in military doctrines and technologies”.
He continued, “This is no easy task, but I am confident that the Defence Academy has tailored its instructions to meet these requirements and made tremendous efforts in ensuring that you (RBAF personnel) acquire the right knowledge, skills and tools as you advance on in your respective careers in which I believe some of you will go as far as to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Awards were also presented by the permanent secretary and Professor Paul Spoonley, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand.
The RBAF CSC Commendation award went to Lieutenant Colonel Ng Yen Meng of the Republic of Singapore Navy; the RBAF CSC Overall Excellence Award went to Major Justin A Hooker of the United States Marine Corps; while Massey University’s Academic Excellence Award went to Major Keiran Vidal of the Australian Army.
Also present at the awards presentation were Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Commissioner Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam; services commanders; high commissioners; ambassadors; representatives from foreign missions in Brunei Darussalam; and defence advisers and defence attaches in Brunei Darussalam. Others in attendance were deputy permanent secretaries, Deputy Director of the Internal Security Department, commandants, directors and senior officers, as well as family members of the graduates.
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